Now that Barbenhiemer and the Super Mario Brothers are in the rear-view mirror, let’s look ahead at the year to come for the box office. 2024 will be a year with only one movie from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and only one DC movie. Hollywood can usually count on the biggest movies of the year to be in the superhero genre, but with an overabundance of lackluster movies in recent years they are becoming harder to depend on. Due to the writers’ and actors’ strikes last year, most films had to stop production and move release dates. Now that Hollywood is back in action, let’s get into what the hits of 2024 might be.
Deadpool & Wolverine:
It’s no secret a lot of people’s most anticipated movie this year is the next installment of the Deadpool franchise. Though many plot details are under wraps, it will be the first time the merc with a mouth will be in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It was announced in the fall of 2023 that Hugh Jackman would reprise his role as Wolverine, which blew up the internet. When production started in May 2023, we got a sneak peek of Reynolds and Jackman suited up in their roles. Theories and speculation have been circling the internet for the past year only creating more and more buzz for the movie. The past two installments both made north of $700 million each. At the time, they were the highest-grossing R-rated movies of all time worldwide. During the Super Bowl, we got our first look at the film and it became the most-viewed trailer of all time within 24 hours.
Inside Out 2:
The previous Inside Out film grossed $858.8 million at the box office. Being that the film was received well by both audiences and critics, the sequel might make the same or even more than the first. Besides “Lightyear” and “Cars 3,” every Pixar sequel has made more than its predecessor, so odds are this will join the club. Returning for the project is writer Meg Lefauve, who received an Oscar nomination for the previous film. Hopefully, with the same creative mind behind it, it’ll capture the same magic as the first. Also, with its summer release parents and kids will be running to theaters.
Dune: Part II
Even though the last film made only $402 million, the film has only gained popularity since its release. Also, it came out in 2021 when Warner Bros.’s old ownership put all of their films day-and-date on HBO MAX (now just called MAX). It was an impressive feat to gain that many sales in theaters due to the circumstances. As we saw last year with “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie”, audiences love watching well-made movies by amazing filmmakers and Dennis Villeneuve will get people in seats. Fans of the book are hyping up this new installment, suggesting that the first movie was only the beginning.
Despicable Me 4:
Illumination is coming out with the fourth outing of their favorite bad guy, “Despicable Me 4.” Our favorite villain turned spy is back, but this time he has a new kid. The most recent edition, “Minions: The Rise of Gru”, was an internet sensation with crowds of teenagers jokingly going to the theater in full suits. The internet dubbed them the “gentleminions.” That movie grossed almost 1 billion dollars and the new one coming out later this year will no doubt pull a lot of that same audience. Every movie in this franchise made north of $500 million or crossed the billion-dollar mark, so it’s safe to assume “Despicable Me 4” will do the same.
Joker: Folie à Deux:
The sequel to the highest-grossing and only rated R film to gross a billion dollars will be coming in the fall of this year. “Joker” drew audiences in with the dark origin of the famous villain back in 2019, and Joaquin Phoenix’s Oscar-winning performance is still talked about today. “Joker” was not originally supposed to have a sequel, but due to the box office and awards it received it was no surprise that Warner Bros. wanted to make a follow-up. Phoenix will be joined by Lady Gaga, playing the latest rendition of Harley Quinn. The movie is said to have “musical elements,” which has many fans both confused and intrigued. We’ll see later this year if Joker was just a one-hit wonder or if it can capture audiences yet again.
Kung Fu Panda 4:
Jack Black is back as the Dragon Warrior, what else do I have to say?
Nostalgia will be a leading factor for this beloved franchise. The last movie came out in 2016, and love for this property has only grown since. Last year, Black’s voice performance was praised in the “Super Mario Bros. Movie” so the wave of Jack Black hype could carry into this one. The one thing going against it is that it took a small dip in box office for the last film, which grossed $521.2 million.
Mufasa: The Lion King
The 2019 remake of the beloved 1994 animated film may not have made a lasting impression, but it grossed over $1.6 billion. Barry Jenkins, who also directed “Moonlight” and “If Beale Street Could Talk”, will be helming the project. With an Oscar award-winning filmmaker this time around it may change public perception and get people into seats. It will follow Simba as king while cutting back to the origin story of his father, Mufasa. With this movie being the sequel to the eighth biggest movie of all time, it needs to be in the conversation for one of the biggest hits of 2024.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire:
Just like the first “Dune,” the previous film in this franchise was released by Warner Bros. in a day-and-date format on MAX. “Godzilla vs. Kong” managed to rake in $470.1 million, even during a pandemic and when it was streaming. Also, the hype for Godzilla has only grown since with the Apple TV+ show, “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” and last year’s, “Godzilla: Minus One.”
